US4278290A - Motor-driven adjustable seat, particularly a motor vehicle seat - Google Patents

Motor-driven adjustable seat, particularly a motor vehicle seat Download PDF

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Publication number
US4278290A
US4278290A US06/057,011 US5701179A US4278290A US 4278290 A US4278290 A US 4278290A US 5701179 A US5701179 A US 5701179A US 4278290 A US4278290 A US 4278290A
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United States
Prior art keywords
potentiometer
ring
gear
combination
reduction gears
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Expired - Lifetime
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US06/057,011
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English (en)
Inventor
Paul Werner
Willibald Strowik
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Keiper Automobiltechnik GmbH and Co KG
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Keiper Automobiltechnik GmbH and Co KG
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Assigned to KEIPER AUTOMOBILTECHNIK GMBH & CO. KG. reassignment KEIPER AUTOMOBILTECHNIK GMBH & CO. KG. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: STROWIK WILLIBALD, WERNER PAUL
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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60N2/00—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles
    • B60N2/02—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles the seat or part thereof being movable, e.g. adjustable
    • B60N2/0224—Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation
    • B60N2/02246—Electric motors therefor

Definitions

  • This invention relates generally to power-driven position adjusters for motor-vehicle seats, and more specifically it relates to an adjuster of the type having a servomotor for adjusting the position of the seat, a potentiometer coupled to the servomotor via a reduction gear to generate a repeatable signal corresponding to the adjusted position of the seat, and an electronic data processing and storing device, such as a microprocessor, controlled by the potentiometer and connected for controlling the servomotor.
  • a motor-driven adjustable seat For adjusting the position of a motor-driven adjustable seat, it has been suggested to couple the servomotor to a potentiometer which supplies the measured partial voltage corresponding to the adjusted position of the seat to the memory of a data processing device such as for example a microprocessor. In this manner it is possible to reset exactly and automatically the initially selected position irrespective of its subsequent changes provided that the measured value pertaining to the initially set position which in this case is represented by a certain partial voltage on the potentiometer, is stored in the data processing device.
  • the seat is adjustable in a predetermined range, the traverse of which normally requires a large number of rotations of the driving shaft of the motor whereas the path of the movable part of the potentiometer is relatively small, it is necessary to reduce the number of rotations of the driving shaft to match the rotation of the potentiometer.
  • a reduction gear arranged between the potentiometer and the driving shaft is employed.
  • Conventional reduction gears used for this purpose require a considerable installation space and in addition are mounted on brackets or the like connected to the seat.
  • an object of the invention to provide an improved motor vehicle seat of the aforedescribed type which is repeatedly adjustable to a preselected position by an electronically controlled servomotor and in which the potentiometer together with its reduction gears occupies minimum space.
  • Another object of this invention is to provide improved reduction gears for the potentiometer which can be made with a very high reduction ratio without enlarging their structure.
  • a seat particularly a motor vehicle seat, having a position adjuster driven by a servomotor, a potentiometer coupled to the motor via reduction gears, and an electronic data processing and storing device electrically connected between the potentiometer and the servomotor to store and process the value measured on the potentiometer and to control via the servomotor the position of the seat, in a combination in which the reduction gear and the potentiometer are arranged in a common housing about the driving shaft of the servomotor, the reduction gear having an input member coupled to the driving shaft and an output member; and the potentiometer having a rotatable slider coupled to the output member.
  • a face wall of the housing supports a slider contact ring and a concentrically arranged annular resistor, the contact ring and the resistor being bridged by the rotatable slider which is secured to a supporting disk, the latter being coupled to the output member of the reduction gear assembly taking place in the remaining part of the housing.
  • the aforementioned face wall is shaped as a cover of the housing.
  • a particularly space saving arrangement of the reduction gear assembly is attained when the latter has a central sleeve inserted on the driving shaft of the servomotor and being shaped with an eccentric portion upon which a spur gear is rotatably supported to engage internal teeth of a ring gear which is formed on the inner wall of the jacket of the housing and has a larger diameter than that of the spur gear.
  • the central sleeve further supports for rotation a drive disk provided with openings into which project carrier pins formed on the face of the spur gear.
  • the drive disk that forms the output member of the gear is provided on its periphery with a V-shaped groove into which slidably engage resilient tongues of the slider supporting disk of the potentiometer so that the rotary movement of the spur gear is imparted via the drive disk to the supporting disk. Since it is required to make use of the maximum displacement of the seat and since the adjustable range of a rotary potentiometer is at best of about 300°, a relatively large reduction ratio is necessary for reducing a large number of rotations of the servomotor to the limited range of movement of the potentiometer.
  • the diameter of the crown circle of the spur gear is smaller at least about the height of one tooth than the diameter of the root circle of the internal gear ring whereby the number of teeth of the spur gear and of the internal gear ring differ by at least about one tooth and the eccentricity of the eccentric portion of the central sleeve corresponds approximately to the difference between the radius of the root circle of the internal gear ring and the radius of the crown circle of the spur gear.
  • the drive disk which is connected for joint rotation with the spur gear is coupled to the supporting disk preferably by means of a frictional coupling.
  • This frictional coupling is formed with advantage in a very simple manner by a V-shaped peripheral groove in the drive disk. The groove slidably engages resilient tongues projecting laterally from the slider supporting disk, the latter being further provided with a stop lug.
  • the side walls of the housing of the potentiometer-reduction gear unit are provided respectively, with a laterally projecting retention pin. These retention pins are spaced about an equal distance from the center axis of the housing and one of the pins engages a corresponding recess in the wall of the motor assembly.
  • the front wall of the housing forming the housing cover is provided with an inwardly directed stop lug which cooperates with a radially directed stop finger on the slider supporting disk to limit the rotary movement of the latter.
  • the stop lug in the housing cover is provided with a connector for conductors connected, respectively, to the slider contact ring and to the resistor ring of the potentiometer. These conducting wires are preferably embedded in the stop lug and their end portions project outwardly from the housing cover to serve as a plug for receiving a socket of the connector.
  • FIG. 1 is a side view of a servomotor with a potentiometer-reduction gear unit according to this invention
  • FIG. 2 shows on an enlarged scale a sectional side view of the potentiometer-reduction gear unit of FIG. 1 in connection with the schematically indicated portion of the motor;
  • FIG. 3 is a sectional front view of the potentiometer-gear unit of this invention taken along the line III--III of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 4 is a sectional front view of the potentiometer-reduction gear unit of this invention taken along the line IV--IV of FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 5 is a sectional front view of the unit of this invention taken along the line V--V of FIG. 2.
  • the geared motor 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 is provided with a worm gear for driving a position adjuster of a backrest or the position adjuster of a seat portion of a nonillustrated motor vehicle seat.
  • the adjustment drive is effected by means of driving pinion 11 on one end of the shaft of the worm gear.
  • the other end portion 12 of the shaft supports a potentiometer-reduction gear unit 13 which is secured against axial movement on the shaft butt 12 by means of retaining ring 14.
  • the structural unit 13 is assembled of a rotary potentiometer 15 and of a reduction gear 16 for reducing the rotational speed of the geared motor 10.
  • the reduction gear 16 is a wobble gear mechanism including a sleeve 17 supported on the shaft 12 or connected thereto for joint rotation by means of splines.
  • the sleeve 17 is formed with an eccentric portion 18 upon which a spur gear 19 is supported for free rotation.
  • the adjoining concentric portion of the sleeve 17 supports for rotation a drive disk 24 which is coupled to the spur gear 19 by means of carrying pins 21 projecting laterally from the latter and engaging elastic rings 22 disposed in bores 23 in the drive disk 24.
  • the external teeth 20 of the spur gear 19 are in mesh with the internal teeth 25 of the stationary gear ring 26.
  • the gear ring 26 is an integral part of a pot-shaped housing part 27 (FIG.
  • the housing part 27 is provided on its side wall with a retaining pin 28 projecting at a distance from the center axis of the sleeve 17 and engaging a recess 29 in the adjoining side wall of the geared motor 10 so that the housing part 27 of the potentiometer reduction gear unit 13 is fixed against rotation.
  • the drive disk 24 which forms the output member of the reduction gear assembly is provided on its periphery with a V-shaped groove 30 which serves for frictionally engaging slider supporting disk 32 which in turn is connected to a bridge-shaped slider 31 of the potentiometer 16.
  • the slider supporting disk 32 has three resilient tongs 33 uniformly distributed on its periphery and slidably engaging the V-shaped groove in the driving disk 32 thus forming with the latter a frictional coupling.
  • the slider 31 electrically connects the contact ring 34 to the ring-shaped resistor 35. Both the contact ring 34 and the annular resistor 35 are concentrically attached on the cover part 36 of the housing forming the other end wall of the potentiometer-reduction gear unit.
  • the housing cover 36 is also loosely supported on the concentric portion of the sleeve 17 and is rigidly connected to the housing part 27 so that both the potentiometer 15 and the reduction gears 16 are encapsulated in the assembled housing parts 27 and 36.
  • the housing cover 36 is also provided with a retention pin 47 which is spaced from the center axis of the sleeve 17 about the same distance as the other retention pin 28 on the housing part 27. Due to this symmetrical arrangement of the retaining pins 28 and 37 it is irrelevant whether the potentiometer-reduction gear unit is mounted on the shaft 12 in a position in which the cover 36 faces the wall of the motor 10 or whether the housing part 27 adjoins the motor.
  • the rim of housing cover 36 is formed with a stop lug 38 projecting axially into the housing part 27 and cooperating with a stop finger 39 which projects radially from the slider supporting disk 32 to limit the rotary movement of the latter.
  • the stop lug 38 also serves for mounting the current conductors 40 and 41 connected respectively to the contact ring 34 and to the ring-shaped resistor 35.
  • the conductors 40 and 41 can be for example embedded in the lug 38 whereby their end portions project outwardly to serve as terminal pins engageable with a connection piece of a cable leading to a microprocessor.
  • the driving pinion 11 has to perform a large number of rotations to displace the adjuster of the backrest or of the seat part over its entire adjustment range whereas the supporting disk 31 with its slider 32 has to rotate about a circular path which corresponds to a rotary angle of approximately 300°. For this reason a considerable reduction between the number of rotations of the driving shaft 12 and of the potentiometer is required.
  • the diameter of the crown circle of the spur gear 19 is at least about the height of one tooth less than the diameter of the root circle of the internal gear ring 26. A maximum reduction is attained when the number of teeth of the spur gear 19 differs from that of the internal gear ring 26 about one tooth only.
  • the eccentricity of the eccentric portion 18 of the sleeve 17 corresponds approximately to the difference between the radius of the root circle of the internal gear ring 26 and the radius of the crown circle of the spur gear 19.
  • the spur gear 19 rotates with a wobbling movement over a sector of about one tooth. This reduced rotation corresponding to the sectional angle of one tooth is transmitted to the driving disk 24.
  • the borings 23 in the driving disk 24 have a diameter which is larger about the double eccentricity of the eccentric portion 18 than the outer diameter of the elastic rings 22 which are arranged on the carrier pins 21.
  • slider 31 is moved to a definite position on the annular resistor 35 corresponding to a definite voltage division on the potentiometer.
  • This partial voltage is applied as a measured value to a microprocessor where it is stored so that upon the change of the position of the seat it is always possible to recall the stored value and restore the originally adjusted position of the seat.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Chairs For Special Purposes, Such As Reclining Chairs (AREA)
  • Seats For Vehicles (AREA)
US06/057,011 1978-07-17 1979-07-12 Motor-driven adjustable seat, particularly a motor vehicle seat Expired - Lifetime US4278290A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE2831314 1978-07-17
DE2831314A DE2831314C3 (de) 1978-07-17 1978-07-17 Einstellvorrichtung für Fahrzeugsitze, insbesondere Kraftfahrzeugsitze

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US4278290A true US4278290A (en) 1981-07-14

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US06/057,011 Expired - Lifetime US4278290A (en) 1978-07-17 1979-07-12 Motor-driven adjustable seat, particularly a motor vehicle seat

Country Status (3)

Country Link
US (1) US4278290A (de)
DE (1) DE2831314C3 (de)
FR (1) FR2431390A1 (de)

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4375900A (en) * 1979-08-01 1983-03-08 Kabushiki Kaisha Morita Seisakusho Control system of and device for memorizing, reading and reproducing the position of material to be controlled
US4645159A (en) * 1984-02-07 1987-02-24 Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha Powered seat adjusting device
US20050121959A1 (en) * 2003-12-05 2005-06-09 Thomas Kruse Seat positioning and control system
US20050248435A1 (en) * 2004-05-05 2005-11-10 Donald Robertson Lawrence Actuator with integral position sensor
US20070008063A1 (en) * 2004-08-13 2007-01-11 Cts Corporation Rotary actuator with non-contacting position sensor
US20100207616A1 (en) * 2009-02-17 2010-08-19 Wolschlager Kevin C Rotary Position Sensor
US20110062760A1 (en) * 2008-03-15 2011-03-17 Zellmann Michael Fitting
US11167667B2 (en) 2018-05-25 2021-11-09 Faurecia Sièges d'Automobile Hinge assembly comprising a tilt sensor

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
IT1209853B (it) * 1980-03-21 1989-08-30 Ti Cox Ltd Perfezionamento nelle strutture per la installazione di sedili di veicoli
US4521055A (en) * 1982-08-30 1985-06-04 Ferro Manufacturing Corporation Power recliner
DE19623839C2 (de) * 1996-06-15 1998-06-10 Daimler Benz Ag Sitz, insbesondere Fahrzeugsitz, mit einer Sitzhöhenverstelleinrichtung und einer Sitzbelegungssensorik

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3072231A (en) * 1959-06-08 1963-01-08 Ferro Stamping Co Memory seat adjustment control circuit
US3223377A (en) * 1963-05-13 1965-12-14 Gen Motors Corp Memory system for powered seat
US3423785A (en) * 1966-01-10 1969-01-28 Ferro Mfg Corp Position control mechanism
DE2734568A1 (de) * 1977-07-30 1979-02-08 Keiper Automobiltechnik Gmbh Gelenkbeschlag fuer sitze mit verstellbarer rueckenlehne, insbesondere kraftfahrzeugsitze

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2754689A1 (de) * 1977-12-06 1979-06-07 Krone Gmbh Vorrichtung zum motorischen verstellen eines personensitzes, vorzugsweise eines fahrzeugsitzes

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3072231A (en) * 1959-06-08 1963-01-08 Ferro Stamping Co Memory seat adjustment control circuit
US3223377A (en) * 1963-05-13 1965-12-14 Gen Motors Corp Memory system for powered seat
US3423785A (en) * 1966-01-10 1969-01-28 Ferro Mfg Corp Position control mechanism
DE2734568A1 (de) * 1977-07-30 1979-02-08 Keiper Automobiltechnik Gmbh Gelenkbeschlag fuer sitze mit verstellbarer rueckenlehne, insbesondere kraftfahrzeugsitze

Cited By (17)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4375900A (en) * 1979-08-01 1983-03-08 Kabushiki Kaisha Morita Seisakusho Control system of and device for memorizing, reading and reproducing the position of material to be controlled
US4645159A (en) * 1984-02-07 1987-02-24 Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha Powered seat adjusting device
US20070262629A1 (en) * 2003-12-05 2007-11-15 Thomas Kruse Seat positioning and control system
US20050121959A1 (en) * 2003-12-05 2005-06-09 Thomas Kruse Seat positioning and control system
US20090121532A1 (en) * 2003-12-05 2009-05-14 Thomas Kruse Seat positioning and control system
US7461897B2 (en) * 2003-12-05 2008-12-09 Hoveround Corporation Seat positioning and control system
US7246856B2 (en) * 2003-12-05 2007-07-24 Hoveround Corporation Seat positioning and control system
US7116210B2 (en) * 2004-05-05 2006-10-03 Cts Corporation Actuator with integral position sensor
US20050248435A1 (en) * 2004-05-05 2005-11-10 Donald Robertson Lawrence Actuator with integral position sensor
US20070008063A1 (en) * 2004-08-13 2007-01-11 Cts Corporation Rotary actuator with non-contacting position sensor
US20110062760A1 (en) * 2008-03-15 2011-03-17 Zellmann Michael Fitting
US8201887B2 (en) * 2008-03-15 2012-06-19 Brose Fahrzeugteile Gmbh & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Coburg Fitting
US20100207616A1 (en) * 2009-02-17 2010-08-19 Wolschlager Kevin C Rotary Position Sensor
US8450999B2 (en) 2009-02-17 2013-05-28 Cts Corporation Rotary position sensor
US8692544B2 (en) 2009-02-17 2014-04-08 Cts Corporation Rotary position sensor
US9297637B2 (en) 2009-02-17 2016-03-29 Cts Corporation Rotary position sensor
US11167667B2 (en) 2018-05-25 2021-11-09 Faurecia Sièges d'Automobile Hinge assembly comprising a tilt sensor

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2831314A1 (de) 1980-02-07
DE2831314B2 (de) 1980-12-04
DE2831314C3 (de) 1982-03-11
FR2431390B1 (de) 1984-01-13
FR2431390A1 (fr) 1980-02-15

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STCF Information on status: patent grant

Free format text: PATENTED CASE

AS Assignment

Owner name: KEIPER AUTOMOBILTECHNIK GMBH & CO. KG., BUCHELSTR.

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNORS:WERNER PAUL;STROWIK WILLIBALD;REEL/FRAME:003847/0047

Effective date: 19790703